by Vanessa Rose
She balked. “All that in exchange for what? I’m no whore, Michael.”
He immediately launched into a slew of apologies. The way he stammered was almost comical. “Of course not! All you would need to do is sign some paperwork and keep up appearances for the public. Attend a party or a dinner with me every once in a while. Outside of that, your life is entirely your own and you are free to do what you wish.” He swallowed hard. “No physical relationship necessary, I swear.”
Taylor was floored. The offer was completely overwhelming. One million dollars? And that was just the start of it. It seemed too good to be true, but then again, she would have to marry the guy. Even if it was a fake relationship, the idea of marriage made her queasy. The closest she’d ever gotten to married life was with Lucy’s father, and that relationship had ended in flames. He hadn’t been in the picture since before Lucy was even born and had been skipping out on the child support payments on top of that.
Luckily, right at that moment, the Bentley pulled up to her apartment.
The two of them sat in silence for a good minute, and when Taylor didn’t say anything, Michael turned behind him to face her. He handed her a business card. “I imagine you’ll want some time to think this over. I know I’m asking the world of you, but please try not to feel pressured. I understand if this is not something you’re willing to do.”
Taylor took the business card from him and stepped out of the car, speechless.
Chapter 3: Gift from God
Her one-bedroom apartment with cracked walls and bars on the windows had never felt so oppressively small. She knew the place was a dump but she’d never had any options before, so she’d tried to love it at least a little bit. Now, though, that love had been sucked up by the business card in her hand.
She tossed the thing in the trash.
Self-respect, she told herself. She chose to ignore him out of respect for herself and her dignity. Men like Michael believed that anything, even people, came with a price tag. She wouldn’t allow herself to be bought like that, even if the price was more money than she could even imagine.
Taylor put Lucy down for her nap and had begun to unpack her groceries when her cell phone rang. She cursed; she had forgotten to call her mother.
“Mom, hey, sorry,” she said into the receiver, trying to shake the shock from her voice.
“Is everything all right, honey? You’re not one to accept rides from strange men, especially when you’ve got Lucy with you.”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. Sorry to worry you.”
Her mother was silent for a beat. “Are you sure? You sound upset.”
Taylor laughed and shook her head. Leave it to Mom to call her on her lies right off the bat. She slumped onto the couch. “It’s been a day. You won’t believe this.”
She launched into a detailed account of everything that had happened since the checkout at the grocery store. Her having to leave her food, Michael running after her and offering her a ride, the marriage deal he proposed. What were mothers for if you couldn’t tell them everything?
She blew out a breath when she was finished. “Crazy, right? Gosh, that story was longer than I thought it would be.”
“But you’re going to marry the man, right?” her mother replied.
Taylor’s jaw hung slack. “I… well, no, I wasn’t—“
“Honey, listen. Lord knows this is a strange situation, but if you ask me, it’s a gift from God. An opportunity to provide a comfortable life for your daughter? A life you and I never had? I’d at least consider that more carefully, if I were you.”
“Ma, I can’t just… sell myself like this.”
“I see where your head’s at, baby, but you should listen to yourself describe this guy. I’ve never heard you use such language to talk about a man since your first high school crush.” She laughed. “Give it a bit and you might marry him for real. May as well get a head start.”
Taylor thought it over. Michael certainly was handsome. He was tall and tan and obviously went to great lengths to make himself look attractive, with his neatly styled hair and immaculately tailored suit. When she shook his hand, his tight grip was warm and comforting, not forceful or rough as she had expected. The light clip of his British accent hit her ears like music. She felt as though she could listen to him talk for hours, his voice was so soothing. Maybe that was why she had accepted the ride from him in the first place. She hadn’t wanted him to stop talking to her.
“There’s got to be something I’m missing, though.” Taylor stretched out on the couch. “All I have to do is pretend to be his wife and he’ll give me all that? It’s too good to be true, Ma.”
She could almost hear her mother’s shrug through the line. “It doesn’t sound like an unfair trade to me. After all, you’re the one who pointed out how much he’s asking of you.”
Taylor sighed. It was true. “But what if it… doesn’t work out?”
“Divorce the bastard! Turn him in. It’s that simple.”
By the time Taylor hung up with her mother, she was even more on the fence than she had been earlier. When she’d first come home, she decided to just forget about Michael and his stupid offer. But now, though she couldn’t believe herself, she was actually considering calling him back.
Maybe her mother was right. Michael did somehow strike a good chord with her, even if she didn’t want to admit it. And one million dollars… Would she be a fool to turn that down?
She ran to the trash to fish for the business card. If she didn’t call him now, she might never have the courage.
“Michael?” she gasped into the phone as soon as she heard him pick up. “It’s Taylor. I’ll do it, but I have a few conditions.”
Chapter 4: New Beginnings
The days that followed were a blur, and less than a week later, Taylor was sitting on the floor in her new bedroom in Michael’s penthouse, unpacking her few belongings as Lucy gurgled happily in the bassinet beside her. Michael offered to help her or to have his maids unpack for her, but she insisted on doing it herself. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to all these people waiting around to baby her.
She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to the heavy ring on her finger, either. Michael had truly spared no expense—the thing was beautiful, a white gold band inlaid with a rainbow of gemstones that met at the huge diamond centerpiece. She had been hesitant to accept it at first, as she didn’t want to be responsible for a tiny object worth more than a black market kidney, but at least it assured her that Michael was serious. He could’ve financed years of rent at her old apartment with the money he’d already put into her. Hell, he probably could’ve just bought the whole block.
This penthouse was an absolute palace though, especially compared to her old place. She had her own entire section of the place, complete with walk-in closet already stocked with a whole new wardrobe, a full bathroom with a separate shower and tub, and a second bedroom just for Lucy. Her new bedroom alone was bigger than her apartment. She couldn’t believe the size of the place. Michael had given her the grand tour before they’d even signed the papers. He had a similar setup of his own next to hers, though his master bedroom made her jaw drop. Instead of an outer wall, the room only had windows that ran from floor to ceiling. The living room and adjoining kitchen had been similar. The view was breathtaking, unlike anything she’d ever seen before despite having lived in the city for her entire life.
He told her that she would have free reign over the whole apartment, including his wing, so she was to make herself and her daughter comfortable. “I’ll be away at work most days anyway,” he assured her. “And you are always free to invite guests over, should you choose.”
“Yeah, speaking of that,” she told him, looking out over the city as the helpers brought up her boxes and bags earlier that morning, “you’re free to date around, like we discussed, but don’t bring any women back here for my daughter’s sake.”
She saw Michael smile in the reflection of the glass. “
Of course. That’s more than reasonable.”
He also promised that her wing of the apartment would be entirely private. He would never enter without her permission. He had an intercom system installed too, so that she could communicate with him and the maids should she need anything.
So far, he had kept his promises. Taylor and Lucy had hardly been there a day, and she was still skeptical of their agreement and this new life, but she was already beginning to feel safe here. Maybe the thought of finally being free of her financial burdens was finally starting to sink in.
“We’ll never have to go back to that apartment again, baby,” she cooed softly into Lucy’s bassinet. “No more coupons, no more roaches, no more winters without heat.” Her eyes welled up.
The intercom buzzed.
“Taylor? I’m sorry to interrupt; I know you’re busy unpacking.” Michael’s voice crackled through the speaker. “I was just wondering if you’re hungry.”
She stood, brushing the tears from her cheeks. She cleared her throat and pressed the intercom button. “I’ll be out in a minute,” she said, and went to the bathroom to wash up. She couldn’t have him see her face looking like she’d been crying.
When she made her way into the living room, cradling Lucy in her arms, she expected him to invite her to one of those ritzy social gatherings he’d told her about. Their first night out as a married couple. She wasn’t sure she could handle that strain right now, but it was part of their deal.
But to her surprise, he wore jeans and a navy blue sweater instead of his usual suit and tie getup, the only other clothes she had ever seen him in. He was standing near one of the huge windows and gazing out over the city. The sun was just beginning to set. As he heard her approach, he turned to greet her with a smile.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” He gestured to the splashes of orange light painting the sky. “Just wait until you see a sunrise.”
She kept her eyes focused on the window. “It’s lovely. This whole place is, really. I, um, well, thank you again.”
His head dipped. “It’s the least I could do. Don’t underestimate the help you’ve given me. Anyway, I thought you might be hungry. If you’re up for it, I’d like to take you out to dinner.”
“Is this one of those social gatherings you warned me about?”
“No, no. Nothing like that just yet. I think it would be wise to get to know each other a little better before our public debut.” He slid his hands into his pockets, fingering the leather of his belt with his thumbs. “We can go anywhere you like.”
“Oh, um, Lucy… I don’t know that I want to leave her with a sitter yet, you know?”
Michael held up a hand. “Say no more.” He crossed into the kitchen and pulled a stack of paper menus from a drawer, fanning them out for her to take her pick. “Take out?”
Taylor smiled despite herself. “Yeah. You like Chinese?”
An hour later, the three of them were sprawled out on the couch munching on lo mein and crab rangoons while watching The Wizard of Oz. It was one of Taylor’s favorite movies and she’d noticed it in Michael’s collection. They sat on opposite sides of the couch, Michael comfortably reclining against one arm rest and Taylor curled up against the other, with Lucy slumbering between them.
“I used to watch this almost every night when I was pregnant,” she said as the twister blew Dorothy’s little farmhouse around on the screen. “It was like instead of cravings for food, I had them for movies.”
She felt so much more comfortable with Michael now that they were both pigging out on crappy take out and all of his “wealthy businessman” aura had faded. She knew he was trying not to come on too strong in that respect, but it was impossible for her not to notice constantly. But here, with only the light of the television illuminating both of their faces, he felt just like any other person. Maybe she could be at peace here with him.
“I’m glad that you’re here, Taylor,” Michael said suddenly. “Lucy, too. This place gets lonely. It’s nice to be able to share it with such pleasant company.”
“You know, I gotta be honest with you.” She shook her head, unable to keep herself from laughing. “This is weird.”
To her delight, Michael laughed too. “It is, isn’t it? I hope it’s a good sort of weird, at least.”
“I think so. It’s definitely not bad.” She took a deep breath. “I mean, I’m still getting used to the idea that I don’t have to worry any more. I don’t need to get up in the morning and bust my ass at a job I hate just to feed my kid. That’s, whew, that’s something.”
She felt the tears coming again. To stave them off, she nabbed a fortune cookie from the table and cracked it open, popping one half into her mouth. She pulled out the fortune.
“Anything good?” Michael asked, nodding to the slip of paper in her hand.
Bless him for picking up on her desire to change the subject.
“’Many surprises in your future,’” she read. “Ain’t that the truth.”
Chapter 5: Luxury and Lust
To Michael’s great relief, he and Taylor became fast friends after she and Lucy moved in. Not only was he glad that their arrangement seemed to be working out, but he hadn’t realized how empty the apartment had been until Taylor and Lucy had come to fill it. He couldn’t begin to describe how nice it was to come home to smiling, happy faces in a warm home instead of just a dark penthouse hallway. He had never spent much time at home before, opting instead to work late or go out on the town until the early hours, but now he found himself anxious to get back as soon as he could. He even stopped by on his lunch breaks from time to time.
He allowed Taylor plenty of time to adjust, vowing not to force her out into public with their false marriage until she was absolutely ready. He couldn’t begin to imagine what her situation was like with such an immediate shift in lifestyle. Plus, she had been wary of him since the beginning. The least he could do was give her personal space.
But soon, she began to come out with him on her own. One day she just invited herself along when he was to attend a business dinner, and that was that. Her integration into his public life was seamless, fluid, as if she’d always been attending these social events with him. As if they were really, truly married.
It was soon after that transition that Michael realized he’d grown quite fond of Taylor, much more so than he expected he would.
Sure, he had been attracted to her from the moment he first laid eyes on her, but he hadn’t anticipated that they would have so much in common. Much more in common than he had with any of his business associates, to be sure. From their first night together when they ate Chinese take-out and watched old movies all night, he knew he had chosen well with Taylor. He came to find out that she also loved walks in Central Park and feeding the pigeons. She loved museums too, which he discovered after their first trip to the Natural History Museum. He often came home to her whipping together a delicious meal despite his insistence that his hired cook could handle dinner preparation. She even baked from time to time, now that she wasn’t slaving away at the bakery. They read books together, played card games, enjoyed expensive white wine and hot dogs from street stands.
Michael couldn’t remember a time when he was as happy as he was now.
As much as he wanted to court Taylor for real, he was hesitant to pressure her into committing to an actual relationship. He understood that he held all the cards in their situation; if she wanted to leave him, she would have to sacrifice more than just their marriage. The money, the apartment, the car, the insurance… He was afraid she would accept his advances only because he had backed her into a corner. Instead, he would just have to open the door and see if she would come to him.
He was straightening his bowtie in his bathroom mirror when Taylor slunk around the corner in her gown. Even though they were a regular occurrence in his life, Michael had never gotten used to these extravagant balls. He hated tuxedos, for one. They made him look like a Bond villain.
Tonight it was wort
h it, though. It meant he got to spend the evening with Taylor, dressed to the nines in a custom-made sapphire blue dress. The long skirt and sleeves covered everything but her hands and head, but her deep brown skin shone through the empty space between floral lace patterns. Her hair had been done up in elaborate braids, courtesy of the professional stylist he’d hired just for her, and her makeup made her face radiant. Her long lashes batted slowly as she examined him in the mirror, her full lips turned into a sly smile.
“You clean up nice,” she joked.
“Ah, I’m a street beggar compared to you.”
She laughed. “The driver is waiting outside. Ready to go?”
They arrived at the ball just as the last rays of sunlight had disappeared under the horizon. Taylor seemed more animated than usual, perhaps because this particular event was being held in an art gallery. She and Michael had been to this venue before, but the exhibits had since cycled out and he knew she was excited to see the new sculptures and paintings.
“I can’t wait until Lucy’s old enough to appreciate this kind of thing,” she said as they strode up the entryway’s stairs, her hand tucked into the crook of his elbow.
“I’m sure that time will come in the blink of an eye,” Michael said. They had just celebrated Lucy’s first birthday a couple of weeks ago.
The ball was in full swing when they entered. Michael recognized a few of his associates sprinkled throughout the dance floor and surrounding tables, but most were unfamiliar faces. That was how it usually went at these things, though. Being of such status within the company, he only had to interact with their most notable clients. He left all but a select handful under the care of his employees, as he never cared much for schmoozing customers. He preferred to stay behind the scenes when he could.
Taylor made it easier to attend these things, at least. He almost looked forward to them now. She managed to fit right into the crowd without putting on a mask, and though he wasn’t sure how she pulled it off, he admired her for it greatly. He could count on her to navigate them in and out of conversations and to duck out politely when they were both tired of the masquerade.
